The present invention relates to a cooling system for an electric vehicle and to a method for producing a cooling system. In particular, the present invention relates to a cooling system for an electric vehicle having an electric drive and an internal combustion engine.
Electric vehicles, which are driven by means of an electric motor, are known. Here, the electric energy required to operate the electric motor in order to drive the electric vehicle in this context is preferably provided by a battery arranged in the electric vehicle. In this case, said battery must be charged at regular intervals from an external power supply system while the electric vehicle is stationary. However, the capacity of the battery for storing the required electric energy is limited. Currently available electric vehicles generally have a battery which allows a range of about 50 km to about 200 km before the battery must be recharged.
To increase the range of an electric vehicle, “range extenders” are furthermore known. This is an internal combustion engine/generator unit. By means of a range extender of this kind, the electric vehicle can be supplied with additional electric energy by means of the internal combustion engine/generator unit in the case of longer distances of travel, it being possible for this energy to be used to charge the battery or for it to be supplied directly to the electric motor.
German Patent Application DE 10 2009 054 839 A1 discloses a range extender having an internal combustion engine/generator unit for an electric vehicle, wherein the generator initially produces an alternating current, which is then rectified, and wherein the voltage of the direct current is controlled by adapting the rotational speed of the generator.
In the case of range extenders of this kind, heat is generated by the internal combustion engine of the internal combustion engine/generator unit during the operation of the range extender, and this must be released into the environment in order to cool the range extender. For this purpose, a corresponding cooling system is required to cool the range extender.
There is therefore a requirement for a compact and efficient cooling system for an electric vehicle having an internal combustion engine/generator unit.